Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac

2117 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2017
  • 121 posts
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac
Posted by restorator on Sunday, August 16, 2020 3:19 PM

On the RF&P did other roads often run through or mostly hand off north/south freight traffic?

I am primarily interested in the connections between the southern roads (Southern, Seaboard, C&O/B&O), and the NW) and the Pennsy and later PC in the mid 1960's to the early 1970's eras in the Washington/Baltimore area so I would expect the RF&P would be a major connecting route

  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 2,505 posts
Posted by caldreamer on Sunday, August 16, 2020 4:47 PM

The RF&P passenger servicewent as far north as Union Station In Washington DC.  Freight ran as far as their Potomic yard in Alexandria, Va.  See the system map with connections here.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2669910

   Caldreamer

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Sunday, August 16, 2020 8:14 PM

Only passenger trains ran through. The RF&P was owned by the six railroads that controlled Pot Yard, so run through traffic sort of defeated the purpose of Potomac Yard and the RF&P itself. 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Sunday, August 16, 2020 8:21 PM

Also, the N&W didn't interact with the RF&P. They had no territory that crossed the RF&P spine, as they were south of Richmond. Oddly, one of the few Pennsylvania heritage Conrail lines that went to CSX instead of NS was the Conrail lines in Washington DC. Southern was a member of the RF&P ownership group (interchange at Pot Yard, Southern's northern terminal) and N&W units would have made their only forays into RF&P land in the 80s.

  • Member since
    May 2017
  • 121 posts
Posted by restorator on Monday, August 17, 2020 4:18 PM

Hmm. So is there any place the seaboard coast line would have been seen in the same place with the PRR/PC ?

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Monday, August 17, 2020 5:44 PM

restorator
So is there any place the seaboard coast line would have been seen in the same place with the PRR/PC

Maybe not, but I'll bet you there are pictures of RF&P or ACL E units with PRR power...

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Monday, August 17, 2020 10:07 PM

restorator

Hmm. So is there any place the seaboard coast line would have been seen in the same place with the PRR/PC ?

 

Aside from passenger power at Washington Union Station, they wouldn't have made it any closer than however many rail miles it is from the engine terminal in Alexandria to the yard in Richmond.  The RF&P's bridge was the only link between the PRR's southernmost point and the ACL/SAL's northern point.

I'm always reluctant to say "never," but I live in Alexandria and have done a lot of digging around in the past.  Never seen a picture of freight ACL, SAL, and N&W power at the north end of the RF&P.  PRR power to Potomac Yard tended to be electrics, which was a hard limit on their southern range.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Monday, August 17, 2020 10:14 PM

I confess to trolling slightly to see if anyone would 'get' why certain ACL- and RF&P-painted E units might wind up near PRR power -- it's a trick question.  (And to my knowledge excludes Seaboard power.)

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, August 31, 2020 11:41 AM

Overmod

I confess to trolling slightly to see if anyone would 'get' why certain ACL- and RF&P-painted E units might wind up near PRR power -- it's a trick question.  (And to my knowledge excludes Seaboard power.)

 

There were occasions where RF&P and ACL power ran through on the PRR, not many, but some.  This happened when the PRR's GG1's were disabled from fine snow getting in through the air intakes and shorting the electrical equipment.

However, definately the exception and not the rule.

Also, the N&W did run passenger trains up to the RF&P's Broad Street Station in Richmond VA, and that was  on a regular basis.  

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!